10 tips and 7 errors to avoid to safety traveling *Guest Post*

The advantages in traveling alone are so many, but it is better not to forget the safety, the precautions to take when you are alone are different from those taken when you travel with a group.

However, traveling alone in safety is possible, even if you don’t speak the language. Both if you go to third world countries or more advanced such as France or Italy.

All it takes is being careful and take some precautions before the departure.

Traveling alone
Traveling alone is an experience to do at least once in the life. There is who doesn’t feel cut out to do it, who fears it, and who follows one of the truest mottos in absolute: true joy consists of sharing the experiences.

Sometimes, however, there is the need to measure yourself with something different, to spend alone some time or with new and casual companions of trip met along the trip.

WHY TRAVEL ALONE?
Traveling alone gives you the possibility to find and experiment your own personal rhythm in the journey and in the things to do. You breathe the silence and you can listen with more attention your own thoughts.

Paradoxically, it is while traveling alone that you’ll know more people, the fact to depart in groups usually get away external people and excludes you from the necessity (and from the pleasure) to start a new relationship with the people that you’ll meet.

10 suggestions to start travel alone
Which are the suggestions for the first trip alone?
As always, success stands in the flexibility and in to find the correct compromise.
So take with a grain of salt these 10 suggestions:

1) Don’t travel only in tourist places because you fear to be alone too much time.2) Don’t leave at last minute without organizing the trip with care.3) Organize the trip with care but apply flexibility.4) Be flexible allows staying for a longer time in a place where you stay particularly well, or to abandon one that, on balance, it’s not for you.5) Bring with you a book and a diary. They will keep you company.6) Start thinking about your alone trip in advance, imagining it, and taking confidence with the idea.7) Seek friends or experiences online of whom have already done your same trip.8) Travel light so to be freer, agile and comfortable.9) Talk to everybody: at the locals, with other travelers.10) Don’t be ashamed to go alone in locals or at restaurants. The first time is weird but after that is a downhill run and you will discover that can be a pleasant experience and that at times it is difficult to stay alone for the whole lunch:)

Which are the best places for traveling alone in Italy?

Italy

The cities are one of the best alternatives for an alone trip: Florence, Turin, Palermo, Rome, Milan, Cagliari, are all interesting cities full of possibilities.
But Italy is not free from dangers, you can read more on the precaution to take in Italy in this post.

THE ERRORS TO AVOID WHEN TRAVELING ALONE
When you travel alone for the first time it is easy to commit some errors.

1) Choose very common destinations:
how many times do you have seen photos of your friends at the Full Moon Party in Thailand?
Keep in mind that if more than a friend has been in that destination, this place will surely be crowded. The possibility to be disappointed exponentially increase, it could be a very tourist location.

Luckily, however, every country hides some pearls that you must discover. The main point is to make your personal trip, prepare a beautiful bucket list.

2) BOOKING WITH TOO MUCH ADVANCE: If you want to really begin an adventure don’t plan the moves with a large advance. Be spontaneous. Have an idea of where to go helps a lot in the organization of the trip but not schedule also the duration of the stays. Travel also means freedom, above all if you are alone.

3) MAKING THINGS AT THE LAST MINUTE: If you have to reach a place, try to understand the public transportation, the situation of the traffic, nothing can ruin a beautiful sunny day as to discover that your bus has already departed.

4) Exclusively sleep in the Hostels: The hostels are a marvelous place, where you will have the occasion to meet people from the whole world. BUT If you want to know the culture of a place, don’t hang around too much where other travelers are.

Instead, try things like Airbnb to have the opportunity to come to direct contact with the people of the place.

5) Follow too much the guides: For some, the guides are the true Bible, inevitable in the backpacks of the modern travelers.

Read something to have a general idea of what you could see but don’t make of them an exclusive support. Talks to people of the place. Follow your instinct.

Don’t base your trip only to “bucket lists” made by others. Your trip should not have the same images that you have seen on the cover of a book but have unique experiences. Entrust to yourself, not to a book. Rent a bicycle, a motorbike or a car and follow your road.

6) TALK ONLY TO TOURISTS: Chat with people of the place and you will find yourself living unique experiences as to participate to an Italian marriage, make some fishing in the harbor of Genova or dance for the whole night in some town festival. Enjoy the freedom that you’ll have.

7) TRAVEL WITH A HEAVY BAGGAGE: The suggestion is to travel light, too much heavy baggage will slow you down making you tired earlier. You just need a few things to travel, a pair of jeans, a sweater, laundry.

Post navigation

Such a great post! I totally agree that Italy is a great place to do solo travel in, the locals are very willing to help you out, I met a bunch of locals and travellers on my first trip to Italy. Perfect tips I will be sure to use on my next solo travels 🙂

There are so many things I’ve never done alone, like go to dinner or see a movie. It is my goal to do those things at least once before 40 next year. Then I would like to do a small solo weekend getaway first.

Taking a dairy is a great idea. We get so caught up in the technological side of documenting things that we forget to take it back to good ole pen and paper. These were helpful tips! Thanks for sharing!

Welcome

Welcome to Meals and Miles! A unique site where you can inquire about booking a vacation or receive vacation insight via our travel blog. Meals and Miles will post vacation deals, blog about our travels, and hotel and restaurant reviews.

Need a quick getaway?

You can book flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and travel insurance directly through my website.